I Tasted All the New Halloween Candy for 2021 & This Is the Best
Halloween is right around the corner! For many people that means stocking up on candy for trick-or-treaters or to munch on while watching a scary movie. While many people stick to their tried-and-true favorites, it's always fun trying something new. But with endless options, you might be wondering which candy is actually worth throwing into your cart. Well, you're in luck because we tried 11 of the newest varieties of Halloween candy and ranked them from worst to best.
There were some breakout stars—and some that left a lot to be desired. Read on to find out our favorite and, for more, check out our definitive ranking of the best and worst Halloween candies on the planet.
Hershey's Halloween Vampire Kisses
This riff on the classic chocolate kiss is by far the worst candy we tried. The packaging says each kiss is filled with a strawberry-flavored creme, but that was not our experience. The exterior of the candy looked like a traditional chocolate kiss, but when we popped these into our mouths the creme tasted more like the white creamy filling from a chocolate-covered cherry. There was no discernible strawberry taste, not even an artificial strawberry-like flavor like those strawberry candies with the gel inside that's likely sitting at your grandparents' house right now. If you want chocolate kisses for Halloween just stick with the traditional version.
Nerds Halloween Candy Corn
Nerds are a classic candy that looks to have gotten an upgrade for Halloween but we can't say it's great. The Nerds Halloween Candy Corn is a gummy candy with a somewhat hard exterior shell. These were slightly sour on first taste, but got sweeter as time went on. The chewy candy was a little challenging to actually get chewed up enough to swallow. After eating a few of these to see if there was any distinct change of flavors by color, it was decided that there was a slight difference in taste, but not one big enough to allow for this to jump to a higher position based on taste variation alone. If you're a fan of candy corn, here are 8 fascinating facts you might not know!
Kit Kat Halloween Pumpkin Pie Candy
We had high hopes for the Kit Kat Halloween Pumpkin Pie Candy because we love all things pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice. When we opened the package these smelled great, just like a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. After breaking off a piece of the Kit Kat bar (we know you're singing the jingle now too) and popping it into our mouths, we realized this was not a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. The warm spice flavors of nutmeg and cloves were really strong with this candy, and it overwhelmed our palette. If you really want a Kit Kat for Halloween, get the other new version that ranks higher on our list.
Kit Kat Halloween Witches Brew
We rated the Kit Kat Halloween Witches Brew slightly higher than the pumpkin pie flavor. A milky green marshmallow-flavored creme replaces the traditional chocolate that usually enrobes these bars. These aren't horrible, but the marshmallow flavor lingered in our mouth longer than we would have liked. Overall, these are a good option if you want Halloween-themed candy for a party, but we prefer the OG Kit Kat.
Warheads Halloween Sour Shaped Gummy Parts
Sour candy is a Halloween favorite, and for many the pinnacle of sour candy is Warheads. The new creation from the brand is Warheads Halloween Sour Shaped Gummy Parts. These sour gummy candies look like teeth, bones, and brains—which kids will love. The exterior of the candy is super sour, but once you get to the actual interior of the gummy it becomes really sweet. We liked the fun shapes and colors, but wished these were sour all the way through. This candy is good if you're looking for gummy candy, but not the best in the grocery store right now.
Welch's Halloween Mixed Fruit Snack
One item we were surprised to see along the Halloween candy aisles was Welch's Halloween Mixed Fruit Snacks. These gummy treats are typically found in school lunches, but they taste so good that we wouldn't mind if there was one thrown into our candy bucket. The snacks are shaped like fun Halloween characters like witches and ghosts. The fruit flavor was evident, and we loved that these came individually packed with just enough gummies to curb our sweet tooth.
M&M's Halloween Cookies and Scream Chocolate Candies
Cookies and cream is one of our favorite candy combinations. While these M&M's don't quite deliver on the classic combo without the crunch from the cookie being present, they were a decent option for at-home candy eating. The candy has the classic M&M's look with black, orange, and white-colored candy, that's then filled with milk and white chocolate.
Werther's Original Halloween Caramel Apple Soft Caramels
It's not fall or Halloween without a caramel apple. The Werther's Original Halloween Caramel Apple Soft Caramels gave us those sweet and tangy vibes without actually having to make or find caramel apples. The soft caramels have a nice apple taste without it being overpowering. The caramel is a little bit tacky and might stick in your teeth a little bit. One thing we wish this had to really push it over the top for a caramel apple experience is something crunchy like nuts. The flavor with these is good and we give this candy our stamp of approval to get tossed into your cart.
Reese's Halloween Peanut Butter Frankencup
The classic peanut butter cup gets a fun Halloween look with the Reese's Halloween Peanut Butter Frankencup. These taste exactly like the traditional versions of the candy, which we love, but have a fun bright green bottom making the candy look a bit like Frankenstein. The candy, as always, is the perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate, making for a nice sweet and slightly salty snack.
Snickers Halloween Peanut Brownie Squares
Just barely missing the top spot is Snickers Halloween Peanut Brownie Squares. The candy is super sweet and extra chocolaty, which we love for Halloween. The brownie is chewy and fudgy—like every good brownie should be—and the addition of peanuts adds a nice crunch that's often missing from other candies to add more textural interest. What kept this out of the top spot was the lack of caramel as seen on the front of the package. We think this got soaked in by the brownie, but we wish the flavor of the caramel came through more.
Dove Promises Halloween White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Candy
The best candy to throw into your cart this Halloween season is the Dove Promises Halloween White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Candy. The sweet, but not overly sugary treat has a nice pumpkin pie flavor without being so overly filled with warm spices that you can't actually taste the chocolate. The actual chocolate had a nice texture without being grainy. One thing that added some textural interest was the addition of graham cracker flavored crisps, which were mixed right into the chocolate. If we had the option between this and a slice of real pumpkin pie we would probably choose this chocolate.
For more food news and healthy eating tips, sign up for our newsletter.
Read more:
